Uncle Petros & Goldbach's Conjecture is a concise story of a young man's description of his uncle's obsession with a mathematical problem. Uncle Petros was a gifted mathematician who, despite the warnings of his colleagues, pursued mathematical greatness by attempting to prove one of the remaining "great challenges" of mathematics.
The story is a must for those with at least a passing interest in mathematics and math history, but it is definitely not limited to that audience. There is something for everyone here: Math for math's sake; family relationships; the quest to conquer insurmountable challenges against the odds; and more.
My only criticism of the book is that it is at times a bit predictable, yet it still seems to keep one's interest. It's greatest asset is the focus and direction aimed at telling a single story concisely and without losing control and steering down many potentially interesting side-stories.
I know nothing about the author, Apostolos Doxiadis, who apparently has written and directed for the screen and stage as well as this book. One of his films, Tetriem has won some awards as well. If anyone has seen this film or knows anything more about the author, I would be interested in reading your comments on Doxiadis in the discussion forum for this book. Thanks.